“It was great to see that many candidates,” said Mayor John Kennedy, shortly after the final count.

Kennedy was returned to his position by acclamation.

“My (return) is due directly to the people on the council and the staff,” he said, before applauding the town’s returning council members and the two new faces at the table.

During the run-up to the election, the town’s volunteer fire service had been front and centre. As previously reported, Kennedy made the motion in a meeting Sept. 9 to seal a deal with the St. John’s Regional Fire Department to replace the volunteer service.

On Monday night, the day before the election, the sitting council voted to move ahead with that deal and end the volunteer fire department.

Kennedy has said the town’s new councillors can speak to that decision, but expects they will feel the right decision was made, given the information on fire services placed before council.

On election night, he said he expects some new “major developments” being proposed for the town will also be part of discussions at the council table in near future.